Sunday highlights from the Giants' farm: Craig Westcott allowed just 1 ER in 6.0 IP, Joe Panik homered as part of his multi-hit performance, and Reiner Roibal had 10 K in 4.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 4-2Fresno: 2B Edgar Gonzalez: 2 for 4, 2 SO, SB, CS
Fresno: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, 2 SO, CS
Sacramento: 1B Chris Carter: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Fresno: SP Dan Runzler: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Fresno: RP Josh Banks: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K
With two hits each, Gonzalez and Gillaspie accounted for half of the Grizzlies' eight hits (all singles). They raised their respective AVGs to .302 and .292. Carter, whom Baseball America ranked as the Athletics' #2 prospect pre-season, had the oh-fer with the hat trick. He has had 10 SO in 7 PCL games since returning from a DL stint.
Runzler and Banks each pitched four innings. While Runzler threw just 42 of 72 pitches for strikes, Banks pounded the strike zone with 40 of 57 pitches for strikes. In four PCL starts, Runzler now has 11 BB in 12.1 IP.
AA: Richmond lost to Bowie 12-4
(falling behind 7-0 after three innings)
Richmond: CF Juan Perez: 2 for 4, 2B
Bowie: CF Xavier Avery: 4 for 6, SO
Richmond: SP Ryan Verdugo: 2.0+ IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Richmond: RP Wilmin Rodriguez: 3.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 K--1 WP
Richmond: RP Heath Hembree: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Perez had two of the Flying Squirrels' four hits, including his 13th double. In his first year in the upper minors, he is hitting .243/.290/.345 through 235 AB. Avery, one of the Orioles' top five prospects, had four hits to raise his AVG to .263.
Verdugo had his worst start of the year with a season-low 2.0 IP. He followed up his season-high 6 ER in his previous start with a new season high of 7 ER. His ERA has risen to 3.84. Rodriguez had 3.0 scoreless IP in long relief before allowed a couple unearned runs when he did not retire any of the four batters he faced in the 6th inning. In his second upper minors appearance, Hembree walked half of his six batters.
A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 2-1
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 0 for 4, GiDP
San Jose: DH Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, SB
San Jose: 2B Ryan Cavan: 3 for 4
San Jose: LF Wendell Fairley: 2 for 3, 2B
San Jose: SP Craig Westcott: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
San Jose: RP Mitch Lively: 1.0 IP, 2 K
With three hits each, accounting for half of the Giants' dozen hits, Peguero and Cavan raised their respective AVGs to .324 and .280. Fairley's 7th double was the Giants' lone XBH. Brown had an oh-fer. He has hit just .108 (4 for 37) over his last nine games.
Westcott had another excellent start, although the 1 ER did snap his streak of four straight starts without allowing an earned run. He further lowered his ERA to 2.09. For the second time in three starts, he did not issue a walk.
A-: Augusta defeated Asheville 6-0 in game 1
(completing yesterday's game suspended after the 4th inning)
Augusta: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 2 for 5, HR, SO
Augusta: SP Taylor Rogers: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K--1 E
Augusta: RP Jacob Dunnington: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K
Augusta: RP Brett Bochy: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Prior to the game being suspended yesterday, Willoughby had his 1st HR. He was one of four GreenJackets with two hits, which has lowered his BB/IP ratio to 0.18.
Rogers lowered his ERA to 2.27 with 4.0 scoreless IP. Dunnington was the first of four relievers pitching today to complete the shutout. He struck out four of his seven batters, and Bokcy had 2 K in a perfect 8th inning.
A-: Augusta lost to Asheville 8-7 (8 innings) in game 2
Augusta: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 1 for 2, 3 BB, GiDP
Augusta: 3B Raynor Campbell: 2 for 4, HR, SO, SB
Augusta: SP Mike Kickham: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K--1 E
Campbell, one of four GreenJackets with two hits, had his 6th HR and 9th SB. Batting leadoff (as he has throughout the season), Willoughby reached base four times.
Kickham had a career-high 9 K but came up shy of the quality start. He has a 4.31 ERA through seven starts.
ssA: Salem-Keizer leading Spokane 3-1 (through 8 innings)
(still in progress at "press time")
Salem-Keizer: SS Joe Panik: 2 for 3, HR, BB
Salem-Keizer: LF Chuckie Jones: 1 for 3, 2B, HBP
Salem-Keizer: SP Reiner Roibal: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Panik led off the 4th inning with his 1st pro HR. Panik and Jones, whose 2nd double was the Volcanoes' other XBH, were two of three Volcanoes to reach base twice.
Roibal, the 22-year-old Cuban, had an impressive NWL debut, striking out 10 of his 17 batters. Last year he had 14 K and 2 ER in 8.2 IP over nine AZL relief appearances.
DSL: The Gigantes had their usual Sunday off-day